Elections won’t matter

As The Dictator bizarrely interrupted a railway event by having reporters and other assembled ninnies do some calisthenics (shown on THaiPBS), he also managed to derail a model train. Wags will quickly recognize that this is what he has done for democratic politics.

From the Bangkok Post

Part of the derailment of democratic politics involves an expanded and appointed senate that “would include military top brass to ensure order and prevent votes in the next general election from being abused for personal gain…”.

There’s that ridiculous implication that the corrupt bastards who have always been corrupt are “good people,” so their vast corruption can be ignored. General Prayuth Chan-ocha is unusually wealthy by any measure. We could go through a list of corrupt military brass, including now Privy Councilor General Surayud Chulanont, with his Patek Philippe watch collection, several expensive European sports cars and a holiday house in the hills (which was later demolished for lack of appropriate documentation).

Deputy Prime Minister and military bootlicker Wissanu Krea-ngam said the junta and its flunkies “wanted the new Senate to have the substantial number of 250 appointed members and remain in office for five years.”

The claim is now for the “Army top brass [to]… sit in the Senate to ensure order and pave the way for national reconciliation. The Senate would not only play a legislative role but also protect the constitution and prevent undesirable situations…”.

Yes, the junta is demanding that the upper house actually become the most powerful house. In effect, any election will have no meaning at all.

Yes, this proposal goes far further than the arrangement under the administration of General Prem Tinsulanonda, when the military effectively controlled the senate. But that senate was a blocker and provided support for Prem’s unelected premiership, not was not the ruling house.

Wissanu said that the junta hoped the “constitution draft would pass the referendum on Aug 7. Otherwise, another constitution must be drafted.”

He’s warning that the military junta could stay around for years to come if the Constitution Drafting Committee doesn’t agree to this or if the electorate rejects the draft constitution in a referendum.

Wissanu also hinted that a junta member and an appointed senator (probably from the military) could be the next prime minister. The next prime minister could be the same prime minister the country has now.